It could be Conyers versus Conyers — plus a host of other Democratic candidates — in the race to succeed U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit, who announced his retirement Tuesday.

State Sen. Ian Conyers, D-Detroit, a great nephew of John Conyers, pre-empted Tuesday's highly anticipated radio announcement by telling the New York Times that Conyers would announce his retirement —- not his resignation — and that he would be a candidate to replace him.

"Please know that I don't like opportunist (sic) or disrespect," she wrote on her Facebook page. "How can you make an announcement before he retires? One, you did not consult with our family before you made such an announcement. Ian Conyers is not endorsed by the Congressman. Nor is he authorized to make any statements or comments on behalf of him nor has he called or come to this hospital!!!! Period. smh"

Ian Conyers hadn't claimed an endorsement from his great uncle, but said on social media that he'd spoken with the congressman by phone Thursday and he advised him to run.

Ian Conyers said he encourages the media to "do a thorough vetting of all candidates," and he would definitely be running.

“What you witnessed is a family in disarray,” said Detroit political consultant Steve Hood. “You have the potential for two Conyers to go for the seat.”

Hood said not much is known about John Conyers III, who has never run for political office and could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Facebook page of John Conyers III says he is a managing partner at EIA Alpha Partners Fund Management and an owner/partner at a firm called Palette Agency. It says he attended Detroit Renaissance High School and studied at Morehouse College and New York University.

Michigan Democrats, from left, U.S. Sen. Carl Levin; U.S. Rep. Sander Levin; U.S. Rep. John Conyers; U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow; and U.S. Rep. John Dingell; pose for a photo at the 2007 Michigan Democratic Convention at the Cobo Center, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2007, in Detroit. Jerry S. Mendoza, AP

Rep. John Conyers, Jr., D-Mich. the only African American member of the select House Committee which investigated Adam Clayton Powell, meets with newsmen on Capitol Hill in Washington on Feb. 28, 1967. Bob Daugherty, AP

Congressman John Conyers, uses a bullhorn as he tried to encourage African Americans in Detroit's riot area to go home, July 23, 1967. He was met with shouts of "No, no." As Conyers stepped down a rock hit the street a few feet from him. Associated Press

Congressman John Conyers, uses a bullhorn as he tried to encourage African Americans in Detroit's riot area to go home, July 23, 1967. He was met with shouts of "No, no." As Conyers stepped down a rock hit the street a few feet from him. Associated Press

From left to right, Congressman Charles Rangel, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and Rep. John Conyers confer with each other at Congressional hearing on police brutality in New York on Monday, Sept. 19, 1983. Mario Cabrera, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sen. Evan Bayh, right, and Rep. John Conyers, Jr., center, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, July 18, 2006, in Washington. The lawmakers are hosting a forum on the crisis facing the U.S. auto industry. LAWRENCE JACKSON, AP

Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., greets Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., before making remarks on the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., at the Mason Temple Church of God and Christ in Memphis, Tenn., Friday, April 4, 2008. Charles Dharapak, AP

Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-NY, left, gives a thumbs up alongside Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., as they take the stage during the third day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia , Wednesday, July 27, 2016. Paul Sancya, AP

President George W. Bush, surrounded by members of Congress signing legislation extending for 25 years the Voting Rights Act, on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington on July 27, 2006. Front row, from left are, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Ron Edmonds, AP

President George W. Bush shakes hands with Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) after signing The Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 into law on the South Lawn of the White House July 27, 2006 in Washington, DC. Mark Wilson, Getty Images

Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., a member of the House Judiciary Committee, meets reporters outside the Ford Building on Capitol Hill Monday, Sept. 14, 1998, where the full report from Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr is being held. WILLIAM PHILPOTT, Associated Press

State Representative Rashida Tlaib and State Senator Vincent Gregory are among those presenting Congressman John Conyers with awards at a tribute for his five decades of service at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, September 29, 2013, Kathleen Galligan, Detroit Free Press

Rep. John Conyers, Jr., goes over his notes before moderating a town hall meeting on the Downing Street Memo and the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame by White House chief political advisor Karl Rove at the WSU Law School Auditorium Saturday afternoon, July 23, 2005. Amy Leang, Detroit Free Press

Rep. John Conyers, Jr., addresses an audience at a town hall meeting on the Downing Street Memo and the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame by White House chief political advisor Karl Rove at the WSU Law School Auditorium Saturday afternoon, July 23, 2005. Amy Leang, Detroit Free Press

In November 1986, civil rights activist Rosa Parks carrys sign as part of a picket line in front of General Motors Headquarters. Behind her is Rep.John Conyers Jr. D-Detroit. They was protesting the GM's decision to close five plants in Michigan. Daymon J. Hartley, Detroit Free Press

Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., a member of the house Judiciary Committee tells newsmen in May 1974 in Washington that President Nixon's discussion of a payment to Watergate defendant E. Howard Hunt ìis a clear violation of federal law and grounds for impeachment. Conyers said, ìIt is a clear, indisputable article of impeachment. AP Wirephoto

Mayor Coleman Young and Mayoral candidate John Conyers, both thumbs up to the Labor Day paraders as they pass by the VIP platform, with Michigan State Senator, John Kelly in September 1989. William Dekay, Detroit Free Press

Corretta King, widow of Dr. Martin Luther King, became the latest civil rights moderate to criticize the Nixon administration for its unresponsiveness to black people. In Detroit for a fund-raising dinner for Rep. John Conyers in July 1970, Mrs. King charged the administration with "behaving as if black people aren’t necessary to the welfare of this country." John Collier, Detroit Free Press

A select House Committee recommended that Adam Clayton Powell be seated as a House member but be censured for gross misconduct. Among members of the committee at a news conference in Feb. 1967 were, from left, seated: Rep. Arch Moore, D-W.Va., and Rep. Emmanuel Celler, D-N.Y., chairman; standing, Rep. Vernon Thomson, R-Wis.; Rep. John Conyers, Jr., D-Mich., and Rep. Claude Pepper, D-Fla. Associated Press

Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) gives Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) a fist bump during the Congressional Black Caucus swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2015 in Washington, D.C. Gabriella Demczuk, Getty Images

Congressman John Conyers attempts to pass through the Northwest gate of the White House to deliver more than 2 million signatures in support of expanding social security benefits' in Washington, DC, USA, 13 July 2015. JIM LO SCALZO, EPA

Congressman John Conyers accepts the Spingard award with the help of his two sons at the NAACP awards banquet at Cobo Center in Detroit, Thursday, July 12, 2007. Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit Free Press

Congressman John Conyers Jr. greets Penny Liuzzo Herrington at the 90th birthday celebration for her mother, Civil Rights Activist Viola Liuzzo, at the park named after her in the Detroit neighborhood she raised her family, on Saturday, April 11, 2015. Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit Free Press

Filmmaker Michael Moore, with Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), discusses the U.S. healthcare system and his new movie "SICKO" with members of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Wednesday, June 20, 2007. CHUCK KENNEDY, MCT

Congressman John Conyers, Jr. attends the Help Us Grow Detroit event to unveil the Brush Street mural in Detroit's North End neighborhood on Thursday, August 14, 2014. Jessica J. Trevino, Detroit Free Press

House Judiciary ranking member Rep. John Conyers, Jr., D-Mich. chats with Martha Reeves of Martha & the Vandellas prior to a news conference to introduce bipartisan legislation, the "Respecting Senior Performers as Essential Cultural Treasures (RESPECT) Act," which aims to ensure that "older artists receive fair pay from the digital radio services that use their work" in the Rayburn House Office Building, May 29, 2014, in Washington, DC. Rod Lamkey, Getty Images

Congressman John Conyers talks about his relationship with Rosa Parks during a memorial service for her, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2005, at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit. Parks worked for Conyers. William Archie, Detroit Free Press

Rep. John Conyers, left, and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan shake hands after unveiling a historical marker commemorating the 1967 Detroit riot on Sunday, July 23, 2017 at Gordon Park in Detroit. The marker stands near the site of the after hours club where the rioting began. Sean Work, Special to the Free Press

Congressman John Conyers, Jr., (D-Mich.) clinches his fist as he joins demonstrators protesting against the Detroit Water and Sewer Department July 18, 2014 in Detroit. The Detroit Water and Sewer Department have disconnected water to thousands of Detroit residents who are delinquent with their bills. Joshua Lott, Getty Images

Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol October 26, 2011 in Washington, DC. Conyers called on the Joint Deficit Reduction Committee to preserve Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security benefits when making their decision on cutting the deficit. Mark Wilson, Getty Images

Congressman John Conyers speaks during the Michigan Democratic Party campaign rally with special guest First Lady Michelle Obama on Friday, Oct. 10, 2014 at the Music Hall in Detroit. Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit Free Press

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) listens to the testimony of former Justice Department White House Liaison Monica Goodling while she testifies to the committee on Capitol Hill May 23, 2007 in Washington, DC. Goodling, who resigned last month, will testify about the 2006 firing of eight U.S. attorneys by the Justice Department only after securing immunity from prosecution. Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

Father's car

In 2010, John Conyers said he would reimburse the federal government for nonofficial use of his congressional vehicle by his son. That happened after the younger John Conyers told Detroit police someone stole two laptop computers and 1,000 concert tickets from the 2010 Cadillac Escalade after he parked it near Brush and Congress in downtown Detroit about midnight Nov. 24.

"I have just learned about the inappropriate use of a congressional vehicle by my son over the Thanksgiving holiday," Conyers said in a statement. "I am sorry it happened and will make sure that it does not happen again."

Police records showed the son had earlier been stopped for speeding in the same burgundy SUV.

John Conyers III, then 20, had worked in a $15-an-hour part-time job for his mother, Monica Conyers, a Detroit City Councilwoman, before she pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges.

Ian Conyers, 29, won a special election in 2016 to fill the seat vacated by state Sen. Virgil Smith, who resigned following a domestic violence scandal.

Ian Conyers has a master's degree in urban and regional planning from Georgetown University, according to information he provided to the Free Press in response to a pre-election questionnaire.

Ian Conyers has sponsored bills related to education, recreation, economic development and job training, among other issues. None have become law, which is not unusual for a first-term senator serving in the minority party.

Radio host Mildred Gaddis, who hosted John Conyers for the announcement, said Ian Conyers made "a major mistake" by pre-empting his great uncle.

"Nobody ever steps out like that in a scenario like this without talking to the family," she said. "To step out like that without consulting with some of the stakeholders in the community, it wasn’t a mature move."

Political consultant Adolph Mongo said name recognition is important in elections and all Detroiters will recognize the Conyers name, but that doesn't guarantee either man a victory.

"The brand ain't what it used to be," Mongo said.

Family controversy

The Conyers family has endured its share of controversy.

In 2009, Monica Conyers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. She acknowledged using her role as a Detroit City Council member and a trustee of the city's pension funds to take bribes from city vendors.

She served 37 months in a federal prison for the crime.

In 2015, Monica Conyers filed for divorce from John Conyers, her husband of 25 years, citing a breakdown in marital relations. John Conyers agreed that the marriage had broken down. The couple insisted there was "zero animosity" between them.

The divorce never went through and a year later, the pair renewed their wedding vows.

"Life is complicated and (the couple is) no different than any other family," Monica Conyers' divorce lawyer, Daniel Findling, told the Free Press at the time.

In recent days, John Conyers III spoke publicly in his father's defense when the media descended on the family's Detroit home in the wake of several former employees accusing his father of sexual harassment.

Other possible candidates for Conyers' seat include Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon, former state House Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Detroit City Councilwoman Brenda Jones, and state Sens. David Knezek and Coleman Young.